Greetings from new member...

[Cpt.Fred]

and...! (here i go again, as always:rolleyes:)

no matter what engine and tranny you throw in there, please keep the patina alive as much as possible.

it's a real beauty, just a little oil (owatrol if you can get that over there, lineseed oil basically)

and maybe a little welding here and there where noone can see, and it's good to go!

you can try as hard as you want painting a car, time paints it better...

hungry for more pics when its in your yard!

fred

[thrashingcows]

Rockwood...Thanks for the info and advice. Does the data tag on the firewall tell what engine and trans the car came with? I have a good picture of that.

There is a "Fluid drive" emblem on the glove box door. It is red with silver/chrome lettering.

Anyway to tell from the engine compartment or interior which tranny I might have?

[Young Ed]

I don't see any wiring near the carb which would be a good sign towards standard 3spd. Also I think if the shift linkage is still hooked up you wont have all 4 positions of the shifter. I think the m6 doesnt have the first gear position

[thrashingcows]

I don't see any wiring near the carb which would be a good sign towards standard 3spd. Also I think if the shift linkage is still hooked up you wont have all 4 positions of the shifter. I think the m6 doesnt have the first gear position

Thanks for the info.

Here's a closer pic of the carb, does it show anything that would make you believe it is not the fluid drive 3 speed?

So if I get this right there is a manual 3 speed, mostly in Dodge and plymouths. And then a fluid drive 3 speed. And then a Fluid drive "Tip-Toe" 4speed tranny.

Did I get that right?

[Niel Hoback]

The Tip-Toe shift has a relay and a lot of wiring mounted on the air cleaner brace. If I remember right.

[greg g]

Take a look at the tranny, The semi auto will have a couple of cylindrical chaped assemblies on it. the standatd does not.

Also the point was made that there is no mechanical connection between the drive train and the engine, so no compression braking with the engine off. Make sure you chock the wheels or have a working parking brake. Lest you donate you new possesion tot he down hill neighbors.

[thrashingcows]

Take a look at the tranny, The semi auto will have a couple of cylindrical shaped assemblies on it. the standard does not.

Would love to but it's 1200 miles away....

[Young Ed]

Thanks for the info.

Here's a closer pic of the carb, does it show anything that would make you believe it is not the fluid drive 3 speed?

So if I get this right there is a manual 3 speed, mostly in Dodge and plymouths. And then a fluid drive 3 speed. And then a Fluid drive "Tip-Toe" 4speed tranny.

Did I get that right?

I think you've got it right. And still no sign of the wiring for the semi auto trans. So I'd say its another clue that you've got the standard 3spd behind the fluid drive.

[Merle Coggins]

If it were mine I'd keep the Fluid Drive. I have one in my truck, with a standard 4 speed, and I love it. If your Desoto has the 3 speed you can just leave it in 2nd when putting around town (below 35 MPH) and just drive with gas and brake like an automatic trans. Once out of town clutch and shift up to 3rd and cruise. I've also met guys with the M6 trans in their cars that run the heck out of them without any problems. There's no reason to be afraid of that one either. The Fluid Drive units are pretty reliable. All I did to mine when I rebuild my truck was to change the fluid. It is awesome. But like Greg says, you WILL need a working parking brake. It WILL roll even if left parked in gear.

Merle

[John Reddie]

Hi Brian,

I am John (furyfan) from the C Body dock. You probably don't remember but you were the one that some years back showed me how to post pictures on the web.I like your DeSoto and you don't see many 2 door models like this one. What Merle says is true. I had a '48 Dodge once and the fluid drive was great, especially in traffic. Mine was the three speed with the fluid coupling. Best of luck to you.

John R

[Frank M.]

Thrashing Cow. Wow---whatta moniker. The carb in the engine photo is definitly for a M-5 semi automatic trans. You can see the button at the rear of the carb that gets pushed in by the tab on the accelerator flange. Thats to ground the system and let the trans go down to low range. Maybe someone removed the M-5 and put a 3 speed in it. Without seeing the trans.,it could be either. Fred would no doubt concur if he looks at the carb. too. Its possibly a EV1 or 7.It will work with a three speed too. Frank M.

[aero3113]

I have never seen a exhaust manifold with the choke solenoid at the rear ?

[Frank M.]

aero3113;177972]I have never seen a exhaust manifold with the choke solenoid at the rear ?

Thats where they were on Chry. Dodge and De Soto. Frank M.

[Gary Manes]

ENGINE: There are two wires running from the driver's side inner fender next to the voltage regulator to the carburetor (down shift for passing, and the normal up-shift), and a few wires running down to the tranny where you have solenoids,etc.

TRANNY: If you can easily see the tranny I believe there are three connections that run to the same box on the inner fender.

I had two trannies, and both had exactly the same gears broken. Fortunately, I was able to get spares from a supplier on the internet. They are really very easy to drive. It is hard to think of it as semi-automatic after a while.

[james curl]

My 48 P-15 also had a rear outlet as the one pictured here, I had two others that a friend and I split and installed on different P-15s. I now have the center rear outlet split manifold on my car.

[thrashingcows]

ENGINE: There are two wires running from the driver's side inner fender next to the voltage regulator to the carburetor (down shift for passing, and the normal up-shift), and a few wires running down to the tranny where you have solenoids,etc.

TRANNY: If you can easily see the tranny I believe there are three connections that run to the same box on the inner fender.

Here's a pic of the box's on the inner fender I think your talking about.

If I had the car home I would crawl underneath and know for sure...but since all I have is pics then I have to rely on your wealth of info to help deduce what tranny I may have.

[PatS....]

If you peel back the carpet or rubber mat on the passenger side there should be two access holes like these.

(this is my 49 parts car, yours should be similar)

The "cans" are the governor and solenoid. Yours won't be on an angle like mine but otherwise are the same. The cover father up on the hump is for filling the Fluid Coupling.

By the way, that carb is definitely an M5 carb, as it has the kickdown switch and dashpot...the cylindrical parts on the right...otherwise it's a standard Ball and Ball.

The "box" you're looking for is usually on the bracket from the air cleaner to the block.

Edited February 6, 2010 by PatS....

[thrashingcows]

as an old farm boy,,,care to elaborate on your handle?? I have heard of thrashing AND cows,,but not so often thrashing cows except for BAD things happening.

Well here's how I came up with my handle.....

It goes back to my high school days, around grade 10/11, I think. I was, and still am, into alternative heavy metal, thrash and such type music. I had a partner in one class who had the same musical tastes as I and one day we were thinking up odd names for a band. Well the name "Thrashing Pink Cows" came up and for some reason that stuck in my head. Fast forward a few years, and the days of on-line forums and such have come around and I needed a screen name, well the old "Thrashing Pink Cows" popped into my head, but I just couldn't use the "pink" so it became Thrashingcows.

[Frank Elder]

You ought to show them your HAMB avatar...it's scary:rolleyes:

[thrashingcows]

You ought to show them your HAMB avatar...it's scary:rolleyes:

Alrighty then.........

[thrashingcows]

Going to change the name of this thread to "Project 48 Desoto...Fernando" since it's already leaning towards a project thread.

[55 Fargo]

Going to change the name of this thread to "Project 48 Desoto...Fernando" since it's already leaning towards a project thread.

When do you think, you will take delivery of the Desoto?

[thrashingcows]

Finally received some pics of one of the motors and trannies I've been contacted about.

This is the 25" Flathead 6 from the 47 plymouth, with 3 speed tranny. Motor was rebuilt/freshened and comes complete ready to go.

The guys asking $1000 Cdn, I personally think that it's decent price for what I'm getting. Oh also the exhaust has been modified to run a second dual exhaust. Not quite the same as the tri-split manifolds but good enough for now.

This was a running and driving set-up and is ready to drop in.

Thoughts and advice?

[55 Fargo]

Finally received some pics of one of the motors and trannies I've been contacted about.

This is the 25" Flathead 6 from the 47 plymouth, with 3 speed tranny. Motor was rebuilt/freshened and comes complete ready to go.

The guys asking $1000 Cdn, I personally think that it's decent price for what I'm getting. Oh also the exhaust has been modified to run a second dual exhaust. Not quite the same as the tri-split manifolds but good enough for now.

This was a running and driving set-up and is ready to drop in.

Thoughts and advice?

Hey this looks good,this should be a 218, long block, 98 hp stock. Has anything been done to this engine for more power, or was it rebuilt stock.

These engines according to a lot of the Guys in the know, state this, most of the problems are exhaust, so going split exhaust with duals should be a plus. I know Lou Earle states going with a 2 bbl Holley Webber carb, and split exhaust may give you the best bang for your buck...........Fred

[thrashingcows]

Hey this looks good,this should be a 218, long block, 98 hp stock. Has anything been done to this engine for more power, or was it rebuilt stock.

These engines according to a lot of the Guys in the know, state this, most of the problems are exhaust, so going split exhaust with duals should be a plus. I know Lou Earle states going with a 2 bbl Holley Webber carb, and split exhaust may give you the best bang for your buck...........Fred

I believe it was a stock rebuild.

What I like is that it is complete, and was running and driving not long ago so I shouldn't have to rebuild any of the accessories.

If I get a decent long block for a few less bucks and have to spend a bunch of $$ on rebuilding/replacing carb, fuel pump, generator, water pump, starter etc. I might be farther in the hole then just getting this one.